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Minimalism to the max

Their style is spare and minimal, true to the modernist ideal. The street-facing window wall has a match at the other end of the house, to make this main floor a daylit space. While openness to the sidewalk might feel too exposed for some people, Mr. Lynch notes that because the main floor is raised several feet above the sidewalk, most passersby notice little more than motion and light from inside. There are blinds that can be rolled down when needed.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

The facade’s openness reflects the couple’s fondness for the old-timey social style of their neighborhood, where neighbors traditionally sat on front porches to catch up with one another. “We’ve always enjoyed being part of the neighborhood,” Mr. Lynch said.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

All millwork in the home is made of reconstituted white oak, which Lynch selected for both its lightness and its environmental suitability. Made from cast-off scraps, it prevents wood products from going to waste. The simple lines he inscribed into the wood are a characteristically modernist detail.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

The kitchen “is where all the activity takes place, so rather than hide it, we have it out in the open,” Mr. Lynch said. The extensive use of stainless steel keeps maintenance requirements low at the same time that it turns up the light in this part of the main floor.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

Light pours down through the house from a skylight. The three second-floor bedrooms have few windows, getting most of their natural light and view from cutouts above. It’s a response to typically tight urban settings. “Think of all those people in city homes who keep their blinds down so they aren’t looking at the house a few feet away next door,” Mr. Lynch said. “They’re not getting the light they could.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

Outfitted with crisp millwork, the bedrooms are “sanctuaries,” Mr. Lynch said. They were intentionally not made particularly large, so that family members would be more inclined to be together in the more spacious public rooms.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

Recessed a half-story below ground level, the rear yard is s private as the front of the house is public. “The neighbors really don’t see us down here,” Mr. Lynch said. The subterranean space was carefully engineered to prevent flooding, he said, and in summer stays about 12 degrees cooler than the prevailing outdoor temperature.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

Seen from the rear terrace are the main living floor and the lower level that contains a family room, guest room and office. The seemingly stacked cabinetry seen at left in the photo continues up to the bedroom level, as if it’s all one piece.

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

While his design is harder-edged than some neighboring buildings, Mr. Lynch deliberately tried to reflect the neighborhood’s context. The brick facade, and the building’s height are both nods to the many older two-flats on surrounding blocks, he said. “It’s a great Chicago neighborhood,” he said. “We wanted to fit into it, but with a modernist form.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Christopher Barrett

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